Platoon (1986)

The critic calls it a modern classic and personal exorcism for the director, who actually served in Vietnam. It highlights the authentic, messy tour of duty and the internal conflict between two sergeants fighting for the soul of the rookie soldier.

Ebert calls Platoon the best film of 1986 for its ground-level, infantryman's view of combat that avoids making war look exciting or heroic. He singles out the disorienting battle scenes that convey constant danger and moral confusion without clear lines or choreography.

The critic praises Platoon as Stone’s masterwork and a deeply personal, accurate depiction of the Vietnam War that stands out for its environmental realism, philosophical depth, and experiential treatment of combat and morality. They highlight the film’s nuanced portrayal of opposing soldier archetypes (Barnes and Elias), its ambitious ensemble scope, and its lasting power to convey the brutality and moral ambiguity of war.

The critic calls it possibly the best work of any kind about the Vietnam War since Dispatches, praising its vivid, terse and exceptionally moving portrayal of the infantryman's immediate experience at ground level. He highlights how it stands apart from other Vietnam films by focusing on raw reality in heat, muck and fear rather than myth or revisionism.

The critic praises the film's frightening immediacy, placing viewers directly into the soldiers' boots with no preamble for a ground-zero view of war unlike any crane-shot predecessors. She singles out the vivid, immediate characterizations of the platoon members and exceptional editing that clarifies nighttime battles.

The review describes it as a savage yet moving account of a young soldier's baptism under fire, centering personal experience while touching on broader political divisions within the platoon. It praises the eye-blistering images for their awesome power that disturbs the mind.

The review finds Oliver Stone's autobiographical Vietnam film still a seriously affecting and powerful work, particularly strong on the nightmarish aspects of war such as a simple misunderstanding turning instantly into a massacre. It notes that the film impresses less than more surreal Vietnam pictures but remains gripping despite a heavy Faustian scenario.

The critic describes it as an intense but artistically distanced study that immerses the audience in the nightmare of the war through effective scenes, while noting that dual impulses toward brutal immediacy and reflective hindsight dilute its power. He acknowledges plenty of good work and an impressive production that grabs the viewer.

Kael finds Platoon powerful in its depiction of soldiers' frustration, revenge fever, and shame during village scenes, but overall overwrought and inflated as autobiographical work. She singles out the initial disorientation and small-talk sequences for having dramatic life, while criticizing the narration and major characters as weak.